Wednesday, April 29, 2009

That's right remember the velcro for the front and those heavy and itchy textiles companies were using the past few years.

First Hurley came up with a pretty good system for the front dingdong and Volcom had a zipper.

The past couple of months I saw ads on my surf mag with a sample of the Diamond Dobby, the new material used by Quiksilver...I will not bore you with the details but they are aimed to dry faster, no sticky feeling in the water and particularly no rashes guaranted.

Oh I forgot they also gurantee that you can surf like this rookie on the picture:

Friday, April 24, 2009

1-Small step, one at a timeThe common mistake is that guys try to hard for the trick they see in videos. Instead of trying big air, try to release fins first and then small pop,etc... find challenges you can succeed at: your confidence will be hipped up.

2-Don't surf for 10 hoursthat's what I sued to do in Barbedos and actually my overall surfing got a hit for the rest of the trip. It's a trip so try to have fun, hang out with friends, go fishing.

3-be a movie starThat's the hard part is to find someone who can film..your girlfriend maybe? be sure to take her to diner that night because she must have been really bored trying to find you in the seal looking crowd.

4- You are not Hercule but almostThat's right try to always go in the water with a challenge, a trick in mind

5-What is Funis not the result and the way how you got there. This is not a quote from Buddha but if he was a surfer, I am sure he would have said this kind of stuffs. Enjoy your progress and don't be frustrated.

bonus: 6- remember rules of priorities and be friendly to others...watch your attitude

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Parko is killer at Bells and he is showing to the rest of WCT that he is in good shape for this new season.He has such a casual style and makes everything look so easy. Here are some highlights of the event.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

What I have liked about Patagonia is that they have been really consistency in their products, messages and marketing in general.

While most other action sports brand battle to stay on top of the style for the fickle teenagers, Patagonia have found a niche on his own and has certainly been more conservative with their business model.

I went at couple of events in their store in Cardiff where I met and spoke with Gerry Lopez, Malloy brothers and Rob Machado even showed up on his bicycle as he lives right behind the store.

Instead of me rephrasing an article I read from my small business , I prefered to paste the important part of the article and the explanation of founder Yvon Chouinard regarding his view on the recession and how it has affected the industry as well as our goal to reduce environmental impact.

The Patagonia founder says his formula for success has not changed since it evolved on the walkabout almost two decades ago.

"We'd write down our values, and the number one value was to make the best product. We were coming from a company that had made the best climbing equipment and we wanted to do the same thing in clothing," he says. Nothing remarkable there.

The other values were more novel. The group wanted a company that struck the right balance between work and family and was determined to, at the very least, minimise the harm its activities did to the environment.

The biggest revelation was the need to apply the values that determined Chouinard's approach to climbing - and not go over the edge.

That meant a far more conservative fiscal strategy and bucking the conventional track for successful companies. It also meant opting for more modest growth and investing less than competitors in marketing.

As he explains: "Most businessmen want to grow their business as fast as they possibly can, and then at a certain point they go public and they sell a bunch of this worthless stock to a bunch of suckers at 40 times earnings or whatever."

It is an approach that, according to Chouinard, explains why so many big players have come a cropper in the past year.

"All of these public companies have just grown to the maximum for so many years that they've just hit the wall, and it's all been dependent on consumers just buying and discarding, buying and discarding.

"You know, your average product bought in a mall is discarded within 90 days, and we just can't keep going on like that. We need a different economy."

The new approach also resulted in a very flexible approach to working hours.

"A surfer knows that you go surfing when there is surf. You don't go next Tuesday at 2 o'clock. So people come and go and they work when they can and a lot of people work from home. As long as the job gets done, I don't care."

Finally, the approach necessitated a stronger commitment to sustainability, in the form of a commitment to devote 1 per cent of sales - or about $3 million a year - to environmental causes.

"We started this organisation called '1 per cent for the planet' and we now have about 1070 members in 30-odd countries, and each company makes out their own cheques to their own organisations," he says.

There is also a pledge to make all its products from recycled or recyclable fibres by 2010. "We're 80 per cent there," he says.

"We're constantly having to push the limits and then prove to other companies that what we have done is not so radical, that they can take small steps because we've taken big steps. That's the fun part.

"The message that Patagonia is trying to get across is that if you do the right thing for the environment, you'll be even more profitable. And if you don't, you're going to go down."

It is a message that has already struck a chord with the giant American retailer, Wal-Mart, which Chouinard describes as the 11th-biggest economy in the world.

The two companies are co-writing a manual on how to make sustainable clothing, a relationship he describes as "David and Goliath".

Wal-Mart, according to Chouinard, is now leading the way on sustainability. He says the company has made it plain to suppliers that it will not do business with those unwilling to embrace best environmental practice.

He is also encouraged by the approach Barack Obama has taken since becoming US President. "He's convinced that the old style of doing business is finished and, while I've been the biggest critic of government, this may be the start of something."

You'd think all of this would temper the ingrained pessimism of the man described as one of the leading climbers of the Golden Age of Yosemite climbing. Not so.

"I'm a doom bat," he insists. "But, you know what? I'm a happy doom bat. Because as long as I feel I'm part of the process of doing something, I'm not part of the problem. I'm part of the solution, and I feel fine about it."

Eric Koston was one of my favorite skaters while growing up and I have to admit it was maybe a reason why I bought eS shoes at the time.

Then he got sponsored by Lakai Footwear, which just announced the end of their partnership. While it is already a pretty big news, what is the most shocking is the announcement, I love the way they turn a sad news for Lakai and turn it into something positive. They have a good sense of humor and I enjoyed the shoe throwing at the end.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

I am not quite sure what to think about Airblaster yet....just by looking at their site, the style and design seems to be a bit out of fashion.But again 2 years ago, the 80's came back so now that must be the 90's .

That's a new site from Kodak dedicated to the snow sports. I think the site is really well done because it is not selling their product anymore (at least less obvious). The site is made to build a relationship with the viewer: share stories, get tips on European resorts that you can download directly to your phone. Job well done.

All those resorts contains load of pictures and videos taken by the Kodak kit so you can get the feel and vibe of restaurants, city and of course the slopes.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Last weekend the best four participants out of 7 rounds have been invited to La Plagne (FRA) to try to stick the last trick – a BS 900° shown by Quiksilver Pro Freddy Austbo!

Benno Postert (AUT), Martin Kalliola (FIN), Niko Lansio (FIN) and Saku Tiilikainen (FIN) are allowed to feel like a snowboard pro for a couple of days. Quiksilver payed everything: flights, accomodations, breakfasts, dinners, lifttickets and drinks. On top our four finalists received a wildcard for Mathieu Crepel´s Invitational Chromatophobia which allowed them to ride the La Plagne Superpipe with stars like Markku Koski, Oliver Gittler, Frederik Austbo, Arthur Longo and Christian Haller, only to name a few.

Saturday was the big day for the finalists. They had two hours time, to stick their BS 900° at the reserved Kicker at La Plagne snowpark. you can go in here to vote for the one who did it best.

Skullcandy has partnered with Snoop Dog to bring some bad ass headphone (at a reasonable price of course).

Where is what Snoop Dogg has to say:

“The Snoop Dogg Skullcrusher is the hottest headphone comin’ to a hood near you. I’ve been a fan of their products for years and I decided it was time to break bread with them. Our headphones are fly, affordable, and most importantly – bangin’ like Niggaracci beats. Make sure to scoop a pair in Spring 2009 and be on the lookout for more Snoop Dogg/Skull Candy products, ya dig?!?”

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

My brother is an amazing skateboarder and he is the one who introduced me to skateboarding at 5 years old and the snowboarding the following year.As far as I can remember I always saw repairing his skateshoes with shoe goo, I really like the smell by the way.lol

One of the pair I had for a long time was the Etnies Rap, it was a big step forward in the skate world. And I just find out that Etnies are bringing them back....of course withe the technology upgrades, etc....

Monday, April 6, 2009

Most my readers are from the States so I don't expect you to remember something they may have teach you in school and particularly a war that happen on the old continent on June 15th 1815 where French were defeated (once again) by English army.

Few hundreds year later, we decided to get our revenge on the Avoriaz Battlefield....check the video out.

After riding some of the best snowpark in the States, I forgot how small most European snowpark are....I guess Americans always have to do it Bigger and Better:),that's what she says!

Bells Beach is an A-grade surf break & one of the world's most famous beaches. It is a high performance right-hand reef break that features two unique reef sections: 'Rincon' & 'The Bowl'.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

I was talking to a good friend of mine who lives in Vancouver. Last month we went Helisurfing and told me there were Avalanche all over the place.I only witnessed once a pretty big avalanche in the Alpes and this stuff is scary stuff.

Makia has upgraded their site...the layout is pretty nice, easy to navigate. However I would have liked to get more pic of guys wearing the clothes as it gives a better perspective on the style, shape and details. the pictures on the current site are a bit small but maybe it is my eyes are not that good.

Some of their jacket are super sick like The Dong or The Club, but I think they could have done better as far as sweatshirt goes.

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About Me

Action sports and the environment are my life’s passion. Everyday, my mind is on being in the water, on the slopes, or somewhere under the sun to be a part of Mother Earth.
Enjoy the Elements, Respect Nature.